The two main languages in my family are Polish and Russian, both of which are big on diminutives. Thanks to obscenely rich inflection almost any noun can be modified and the resulting diminutive does not only suggest small size but can be affectionate, humorous, patronising, disparaging or sarcastic. Just to give you one example: Polish wpis "writeup" can become wpisik "a wee writeup" and it will depend on the context which of the above qualities is conveyed.

Funnily enough, the teeny weeny Scotsadjective "wee" seems to do the trick just as nicely. You can stick it in front of almost any noun and its meaning has much more to it than just "the quality of being small". As can be attested by anyone who has ever been called a wee gem and/or a wee shite.